Month: June 2022

If you have an outside pool then you’re probably no stranger to the yearly routine of making it summer-ready after a quiet winter. Find out our essentials for ensuring your swimming pool is summer-ready!

Clean the cover (if you have one)

Removing the winter protective cover is the first and most obvious step to getting your pool ready for the summer. If it’s covered in a winter’s worth of rainwater, leaves and other debris, then the first step will be to remove this. The more you remove from the cover now, the less will make its way into the pool water once you begin removing the cover. Try using a pump of some sort and skim the rest.

Clean the pool

Get started cleaning the pool itself and getting everything set up for cleaning. If the pool has been out of action for the winter, that means the pump, filter and other hardware have been too. Put the filter system together, clean out the baskets, and remove any plugs that you put in for the winter, make sure the pump and everything is working as it should. Once everything is set up, it’s time to get your hands dirty. If you have a pool vacuum…use it. If not, start brushing! Once you’ve finished cleaning the pool, skim the surface of the water to collect any dirt and debris that may have got loose whilst cleaning.

Top up and test the water

Depending on how long your pool was out of use, you may need to top it up to the correct water level. Once topped up, get testing. Use a pool water test kit to test the pH and chlorine levels in your water. Some simple testing strips with give you an indication of which chemicals you’ll need to add next.

Balance the chemicals

Once you know your levels you can begin balancing them out with chemicals.

• The ideal pH range for your pool is 7.4 to 7.6.
• Alkalinity should be between 100 to 150 parts per million (ppm)
• Chlorine should measure between 1 and 3 parts per million

This is as simple as adding chemicals until your reach the correct levels. But don’t go diving in straight away! Make sure you wait for the water to clear, this can sometimes take up to a week if you’re cleaning your filter daily and making sure chlorine levels are correct.

That’s it, you’re ready to hop in, just make sure to keep on top of cleaning by following our cleaning tips here!

Knowing the ins and outs of keeping your pool clean and learning the most basic swimming pool maintenance can ensure everything continues running smoothly, making it a lot easier to solve any problems that might pop up in the future!

1. Keeping the interior clean

Making sure to keep the interior of your pool in good order is a vital step in looking after your pool. Your pool liner and every surface is in 24/7 contact with the pool water…and everything in it. Making sure the interior is free from algae, mold, debris and doesn’t show signs of damage will help keep everything clean and safe.

2. Monitor the water

The water itself is arguably the most important and obvious factor to keeping your pool clean. Keeping it clean, clear of dirt, and the correct level of chemicals ensures it’s safe for year-round use. It also makes the above interior easier to maintain as the correct chemicals can prevent algae and mineral build-up.

3. Clean the filter system

The filter system of your pool keeps everything circulating and is essentially the beating heart of your swimming pool. A properly functioning and efficient filter system prevents it from becoming cloudy, murky, polluted and downright unappealing, and even unhealthy to swim in. Different pools will have different set-ups when it comes to filters, so make sure you find out the best method to clean yours before starting.

4. Keep it covered

Keeping your pool covered when not in use is simply the best way to prevent unwanted swimmers and debris from taking a dip. If left uncovered, then the build-up of leaves, insects and more will put a strain on the filters and mean you have to spend more time skimming the pool each day.

5. Maintain chemical levels

Pool chemistry and keeping on top of the chemical levels in your pool is surprisingly straightforward and easy to manage. It may seem daunting at first, but once you know the levels it will soon become a breeze. The best tool for this is a pool water testing kit so you can understand your pool water before adding any chemicals.

Try and measure the chlorine and pH levels approximately twice a week;

• The ideal pH range for your pool is 7.4 to 7.6.
• Alkalinity should be between 100 to 150 parts per million (ppm)
• Chlorine should measure between 1 and 3 parts per million

Once you know your levels, you can begin adding chemicals to get the correct balance.

There you have it! There are some of our top tips for anyone wondering how to properly maintain and lengthen the lift of their swimming pool. Sounds out of your depth? Get in touch with our team to find out more about our pool maintenance services here.